Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has backed the party’s national leader, Senator Seriake Dickson, in rejecting the presidential campaign council recently constituted by the Obi-Kwankwaso Movement, popularly known as the OK Movement.
Obi said support groups backing the NDC and its 2027 presidential ticket should complement the party rather than create structures that perform the functions of the party.
He spoke on Thursday during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time while reacting to the dispute between the NDC and the OK Movement over the 59-member Presidential Campaign Council announced by the movement on September 17.
The NDC had distanced itself from the council, saying it was not authorised by the party.
Obi said the NDC was the political party to which he, his running mate Rabiu Kwankwaso and other members belonged, adding that groups such as the OK Movement, Obidient groups and Kwankwasiyya should operate as support organisations.
“First is that the NDC is a political party we all belong to and I agree entirely with the position of the leader.
“OK Movement, Obidient group, Kwankwasiyya and other supporting groups are supporting groups. They must play their roles as supporting groups supporting the party. They should not play the role of a party.
“We have a situation where one of the supporting groups is using the nomenclature or forming presidential campaign council. It shouldn’t be,” he said.
Asked whether he was aware of the OK Movement’s decision to constitute the campaign council, Obi said he was not.
He added that any action taken in the name of the OK Movement required the approval of both him and Kwankwaso.
“Your OK Movement is Obi and Kwankwaso. So, whatever you do must have the express approval of both of us,” Obi said.
His position echoes Dickson’s earlier call for support groups to complement the NDC rather than establish parallel structures that could compete with the party’s official campaign machinery.
Dickson had said support groups should not compete with the party for political space or supremacy.
“Support groups don’t compete with the political party that is sponsoring candidates. Support groups don’t compete for supremacy, for space,” he said.
He said such groups should concentrate on grassroots mobilisation and supporting the party’s candidates rather than operate as political parties or criticise the party they support.
The OK Movement has, however, rejected the NDC leadership’s position, insisting that it remains an independent political organisation with its own structures and internal administration.
Its Director-General, John Ughulu, said the movement would not allow its structures to be dissolved, transferred or absorbed into the NDC.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
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